Risus of Arabia Magic

In the Tales, powerful sorcerers were trumped by Fate or cunning; and a butcher’s daughter was learned in enchantments. Magic is useful, and accessible; but not overwhelming. This magic is more enchantment than spell flinging. For a taste of magic from the Tales read the Second Kalandar’s Tale.

Magic objects can be handled like the ‘Gizmo’ advantage for the Gadgetteer in GURPS Cliffhangers; devices, objects, and equipment are prepared before hand and can fill only five of the ten regular Gear Slots*. A set number of rings, vials, flasks, amulets, etc… are not committed before a session, but are committed once they come into play; however the uncommitted slot must be named ‘ring, vial, flask, amulet, etc…. One ring and one necklace can be ‘at the ready’ for a PC, each costs a Gear Slot. No spell lists, decide what needs to be done and work out the mechanics.

(*see Vincent Diakuw’s Dungeonautica)

Summoner/Demonologist or Alchemist is taken as the cliché. With augury and letter magic as skills in either. Both Summoner/Demonologist and Alchemist clichés can be taken but only one can be double pumped.

The division between Summoner/Demonologist and Alchemist was a personal preference; it was done solely to diffuse mage power, feel free to combine them. Note: most magic takes one or two turns to prepare. Being ‘combat ready’ is tricky for a mage. Mages can have passable to excellent combat skills – still it’s a good to have a trick, or two, up his or her sleeve.

Summoning/Demonology: summoning/binding demons and jinns, exorcising evil spirits….

Summoned jinns and demons can be treated as temporary magic items* . For game purposes, jinns, as a rule, don’t do physical combat; the lower powered jinns can use their innate magic abilities to perform magical tasks. Higher level jinns can cast spells and enchantments. Demons, due to their less magical nature, are more suited for combat and physical tasks. And no, jinns and demons can’t be summoned at the same time. Questing Dice can be tied to the Summoner cliche.

(see Minute-Made Magic (M3) for summoning options)

Note: Demons are only vaguely referred to in The Nights; and the souls of the departed are in the hands of Allah, so no séances or ghosts or ghosts-like apparitions. Spirits are mentioned in The Night, these are animistic hold overs from pre-Muslim Arab beliefs.

*(Risus Magic Objects by Jason Puckett)

for summoning options)

Alchemy: potions, elixirs, devices, acids, explosives, tear gas, transmuting stuff, animating statues, make and use The Philosopher’s Stone, create homunculi (‘do it yourself’ Sidekick – Companion page 51), and golems, (a Sidekick as a temporary magic item), etc…

Sample potions: heroism, speed, strength, healing, flash vial, paralyzation, polymorph, cure disease, regeneration……. As well as powders for illusions and invisibility.

Alchemists can carry five vials or two flasks per Gear Slot.

Universal Mage Abilities

(see Risus Magic by Jason Puckett and S. John Ross)

• Sensing magic items upon seeing or touching them
• Sensing other wizards on sight
• Sensing other wizards nearby, whether or not they're visible ("I feel a disturbance in the Force...")
• Sensing spells cast nearby
• Detecting the nature (necromancy, fire magic, good/evil/hostile/friendly magic) of magic items or spells in the area
• Dispelling other mages' spells *
• etc.

* Dispelling an enchantment is a regular theme in The Nights, often involving time, effort, and travel. There is also a tacit ‘hands off’ agreement among all magic user, both mages and Jinns. There is a tenuous connection between the caster and the enchantment so he or she knows when it is being tampered with. It also serves as an automatic Lojack for magic objects until the enchantment is cloaked, altered, or broken. Also a door can be given a slight enchantment to act as a silent alarm (a variation of Magic Mouth).

Also:

Augury: Astrology/Geomancy (sand writing, akin to reading tea leaves), ask the oracle simple questions … (a shameless tool for the GM to use)

Letter Magic. - wards and glyphs, making amulets (protective) and talismans (empowering) to control the elements (not elemental spirits, animistic spirits are a pre-islamic belief), control the weather, talk to animals, draw magic circles, create illusions, write home for help ... (necessary for making magic objects) Letter magic can be written or chanted (the 'intelligible words' often spoken in The Nights) Letter magic is fundamental to most magic in The Nights.

(Note: Enchantment, Illusions, and Shapeshifting are covered by a second tier of Letter Magic difficulty. We still need to suss out a few rules.)

(Note: illusions are just trickery, the sort minor jinn engage in to mislead humans.No mind control involved.)

Wards and glyphs can be traced on walls or doors to make barriers or traps: flash, stun, confuse, enthrall, etc… At higher levels letters can be traced in the air and cast like runes.

(Note: Sleep is milieu passable; Charm, Suggestion, and other mind control spells are not.)

(Note: I don’t remember if mesmerism is a part of The Nights; however, jinns could work illusions, mirages, and hallucinations; but not direct mind control, that would preclude free will. Mesmerism was included in the earlier incarnation of this game as a concession to a player who wanted an 'always ready' wammy.)

Universal Mage Abilities can be a skill in an appropriate cliché: a Gypsy Princess, Gypsy Peasant, Occult Scholar, etc… with adjusted TNs. Or not. As a rule dilettante Universal Mage Abilities levels top out at either (2) or (3) no matter how high the cliche goes.

There is a Spellflinger conversion chart; most ‘classic’ spells can be replicated with this system – the point is to have a broader use of magic. To cover the biggest bugbear, there are no Magic Missiles, Fireballs, Webs, or the like. Cure Wounds or Cure Disease are handled through other skills. (although in the second incarnation of this game Little Nell used a minor ‘bind’ glyph to staunch a bleeding wound and a ‘hold’ glyph to stop the progression of paralysis)

Augury covers ESP, Clairvoyance ….

Letter Magic covers: Light, Protection from Evil, Hold Portal, Shield (detailed rules), Wizard Lock…